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Riemagine Studio {review}

If you follow me on Instagram you know that I take a ton of selfies. In fact, I was taking selfies before they were called selfies. My Flickr handle was “RunsWithCamera” for a short bit. Nerd alert: Back in the day, I realized that my arm length matched up with the focal length of my point and shoot cameras. My college roommate also swore that being a lefty worked to my advantage with taking selfies.

The thing is, even though I have a ton of pictures of me, I’m not that comfortable being the sole focus of the lens. I’m usually trying to capture everything else with a little bit of me. Over Spring Break, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Marie from Riemagine Studios and I had the best morning playing dress up and feeling glamorous.

Marie’s studio in Gilbert, AZ is based out of her home but as soon as you walk in, you are transported to a beautiful and comfortable set. Her studio is spacious and full of light. There’s plenty of room for changing and even an area for makeup and hair. Prior to the shoot, she provided ‘homework’ links to help prepare for the day’s photo shoot. The little reminders to get my eyebrows done in plenty of time and how to have my hair ready was extremely helpful for me (especially since I don’t get fancy very often). I also appreciated the guidance in choosing and selecting outfits for the shoot. She definitely works with you to help you determine what you want in your photos.

Marie and her assistant, Coco, did my hair and make up. Throughout the process, they checked in to make sure that I was happy with their work and they even made changes when “the look” wasn’t exactly as they initially envisioned and when I wasn’t feeling like “me.” I honestly felt like a princess/movie star during the entire process. At one point during the shoot, Marie suggested that I had channeled Elizabeth Taylor! I did feel a little like Cleopatra.

When it came time for the photo shoot, Marie had several backdrops and props that she used to create different looks and lighting effects. Although I was nervous, Marie was quick to put me at ease and help me relax. The photo shoot went by so quickly, even with the multiple clothing changes.

Marie was quick to edit the images (two weeks) and invited me back to the studio to select my favorites. I brought my husband with me, because I needed moral support for the spotlight. She converted her make up and hair area to a viewing area. She displayed the images on a high resolution monitor. Oh my goodness, I was speechless when I saw the images. Marie captured me and turned me into art! We were so impressed with her work. Her edits were subtle and she really has a great eye.

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I absolutely love the way these photos turned out, even if I feel awkward in front of the lens. See Marie’s work on her website Riemagine; she recently photographed Ballet Arizona’s Arianni Martin. Those photographs are gorgeous! You can see how Marie captures the subject’s personality and personal style. She really spends time with you to help put you at ease and bring out the best in you.

Disclaimer: I volunteered to pose as a model to help Marie build her portfolio. I was given images to use for social media in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.